Sasha's Tale
by Dewfrost
Summary: Ever wonder about Hawkfrost and Mothwing's mother? Well, I did, and this is what I came up with...
1. Chapter 1

**Ever wonder about Sasha, Hawkfrost and Mothwing's mother? Well, I did, and here's what I came up with as her story...**

Anger was cold in Sasha's blue eyes as she looked around the territory of BloodClan, if you could call it that. Scent marks were sprayed around the alleys to alert other cats that they should keep away. But they did already. Every cat in the neightborhood knew of Scourge and his fighters, and they would rather eat their own tails then go foraging in BloodClan trash cans.

Sasha's ears pricked up as she heard the sound of approaching cats. They weren't BloodClan. She knew it by the scent she could detect even through the thickly falling rain. "Who is that?" she whispered to Aurora, who was crouched beside her.

The calico she-cat shrugged her thin shoulders. "How should I know? Maybe-"

A hiss interrupted her, and Sasha felt her fur bristle of its own accord. It was one of Scourge's scouts, alerting him. "Whoever it is," she whispered to her companion, "They're about to get their fur ripped off."

Two cats reached the mouth of the alley. One was a gigantic dark tabby, the other lean and silver, his ears and tail twitching nervously, as if he knew that he shouldn't be here. Sasha stared at him in surprise. "Would you look at that!" she meowed. "It's Boulder! But I thought he went to the forest?"

Aurora's lip curled. "Maybe he was frightened when a bee stung him," she suggested coldy, "And came running back here."

Sasha would have purred out a laugh- Boulder was not known for his bravery- but she was listening intently to the cats at the top of the alley. She and Aurora crouched even lower as Bone appeared out of the darkness to challenge the newcomers. "Who goes there?" He took a step forward. "Identify yourselves. We don't like strangers here."

Boulder was the one that answered. "Greetings Bone," he meowed. "Remember me?"

Bone looked thoughtful, and Sasha and Aurora exchanged smirks. "The only thing he remembers is his last meal," Sasha growled scathingly.

"He wouldn't even remember his own tail," added Aurora, "If it wasn't attatched."

Surprisingly, Bone finally meowed, "So you've come back, have you, Boulder? You told us you were going to find a better life in the forest. What are you doing here?"

"Told him!" mocked Sasha from her place. "They forced it out of his friends, more like, once they found out he was missing! He makes it sound as if they let us leave at will!"

There was a fight kindling in Bone's eyes, and the dark tabby beside Boulder looked as if he would meet it. But before a hiss could be uttered, Boulder spoke. "We want to see Scourge."

Bone snorted in a typical way. "I can't imagine that Scourge will want to see you. And who's this with you? I don't recognize _him_."

"My name is Tigerstar," meowed the unknown cat. "I've come from the forest to speak with your leader."

Sasha watched Bone's eyes flick back in forth. She could tell he was a little daunted to meet a cat almost as large as he was himself. "What do you want with him?" he asked.

Tigerstar's eyes were challenging. "I'll discuss that with your leader, not his border patrol."

Sasha and Aurora were impressed. It wasn't often they got to see Bone scorned, not to his face. They lashed their tails, ready to watch the fight, but Boulder stopped it before it could begin. "Scourge needs to hear this," he told Bone. "It could be to every cat's advantage."

"Every cat's advantage?" wondered Sasha to Aurora. "What's he going to tell us? How to get thorns out of our paws?"

Aurora snorted as Tigerstar and Scourge made their way down the alley. Others were appearing out of trash bins and behind garbage, interest lighting in their eyes. Sasha and Aurora stayed in their hiding place, but they had a clear view of the end of the alley. Scourge was sitting in the Twoleg doorway that was in the wall at the alley's end. Sasha narrowed her eyes as Boulder pointed him out.

"_That's _Scourge?" Tigerstar's reply was loud and clear. Too loud. "He's no bigger than an apprentice!"

"Oooh," Sasha mewed gleefully, "Bad move, forest rat!'

"Shh!" Boulder reprimanded Tigerstar frantically. He murmured something else, but Sasha couldn't hear what it was. But she heard Scourge's words all right, and felt Aurora stir beside her as their leader's cold, frosty voice split the rain-filled air. "It seems I have visitors." The tiny black cat looked calm and certain, as always. "I wasn't expecting to see you again, Boulder. I heard you'd gone to live in the forest."

"Yes, Scourge, I have." The squeak in Boulder's voice betrayed his fear.

"So what are you doing here? Have you changed your mind and come crawling back? Do you expect me to welcome you?"

"If he does," Aurora muttered, "Then he's got more rubbish in his head than he did before he left!'

"No, Scourge," came Boulder's reply. He was meeting Scourge's eyes. "It's a good life in the forest. There is plenty of fresh-kill, no Twolegs-"

Unsurprisingly, Scourge cut him off. "You haven't come to extol the virtues of forest life," he meowed icily. "Squirrels live in trees, not cats." Approval rippled from the BloodClan cats, soft but certain. "So what do you want?"

The cat called Tigerstar stepped forward, pushing Boulder firmly away. "I am Tigerstar, the leader of ShadowClan," he informed Scourge. "And I have a proposition for you."

"A proposition?" Scourge's eyes narrowed, and Sasha saw he was interested. "Of what kind?"

"I wish to drive away the other three Clans of the forest," Tigerstar meowed. "But I will need more cats to do it. I have a plan to unite RiverClan with myself, and then we will have more strength to defeat ThunderClan and WindClan."

Scourge's laugh made Sasha's tail bristle. "Why would I ever want to aid you?"

"Because if you do," Tigerstar replied readily, "I will give a share of the forest to you."

That stopped Scourge for a few moments. His eyes were glittering slits, and he looked at Bone. "We aren't forest cats," he growled. "What would we want with a hunk of moss?"

"Because that hunk of moss is full of mice," Tigerstar answered smoothly. "Look at this place, Scourge. All you have is Twoleg rubbish, and you have to fight other rouges to get it. In the forest you could have a supply of freshly caught prey that was yours to pounce on. The only challenge you'd have would be from the occasional badger."

Scourge cocked his head. "You would give BloodClan a piece of your forest?" he murmured. "And you would keep your own paws off of it once you did?"

"Of course," Tigerstar purred.

_Why should we believe him? _Sasha wondered, at the same time admiring the cat's determination. Many others would have been frightened off long ago, but Tigerstar stood boldly, his eyes on Scourge, ignoring Boulder as the silver cat trembled where he stood.

"All it would take would be a single fight," Tigerstar pressed on. "Against WindClan and ThunderClan. And I know that, with the combined ranks of RiverClan, ShadowClan, and BloodClan, we can defeat them. And," he went on, "If all goes well, ThunderClan may not be much of a problem. A pack of dogs should be feasting on their hides as we speak."

Sasha winced. What an awful way to go, but how cunning of Tigerstar to have found a way to get dogs to do his bidding!

"All right, forest fool," Scourge conceded, his tail swishing steadily behind him as he dealt out his insult. Tigerstar bristled, but held his temper. "Excellent," he meowed.

"I have not said that I agree to your terms," Scourge warned. "But I will sent a scouting party to the forest, and if I like what I will see I will think on this. You will spend the night here while my party looks."

Tigerstar's eyes flashed, showing Sasha that he was not familiar with answering to orders, but he nodded in acceptance. Scourge glanced over his subjects, huddled in the darkness of the alley. "Fitz. Rodney." He named two toms. "Follow Tigerstar's scent track back to where he has come from. Inspect the area. I'll expect you back by dawn."

Fitz and Rodney crept out of the alley, their heads bobbing energetically. "You can count on it, Scourge," Rodney promised. They were off.

"Sasha." The she-cat started when her name was uttered. She looked at Scourge. "I want you and Aurora to play hosts to our guests here. Make sure that they are still here for me to speak to them by morning."

Sasha nodded, not minding her task. She quite looked forward to speaking to Tigerstar, and there would be no harm done in seeing Boulder again. Perhaps he could give her advice on how to escape from BloodClan. Shesauntered over to the forest cats as Scourge, Bone, and most of the others disappeared into other alleys. Aurora made her way up to stand beside her.

"So, Tigerstar, is it?" Sasha purred at the dark tabby before her. She paused. "A bit fancy with forest names, aren't they?"

**Hope you liked it, and review please! If I don't get any I won't bother with a new chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanx to those that reviewed. This one's just a filler chapter, really, for the action that starts in chapter 3. I'll try to get it out soon!**

I suppose they are," meowed Tigerstar, staring at her with brilliant amber eyes. Their intensity took Sasha's breath away. Now here was a cat that knew what he was doing! She thought with a bit of scorn at her own mate, Caesar. She had been enticed by his good fighting abilities, but she had come to find that he was about as interesting as a piece of Twoleg rubbish.

"Scourge will be angry if we go anywhere," Aurora commented, all business. "We'll have to stay in the alley. He'll have spies watching us, for sure."

"_Us_?" Sasha queried. "He isn't worried about you and me, and he's hardly interested in Boulder. No, he's watching _him_." She jabbed her tail at Tigerstar, and wondered whether he would take her remark as complimentary.

The big tabby swiveled his head about. "I don't see or smell any cats."

Aurora hacked out a laugh. "It isn't about seeing or smelling around here. It's about _knowing._"

Tigerstar looked around with renewed cautiousness, and Aurora shook her head. "Shall we eat?"

"Come now, Aurora," mewed Sasha, her blue eyes not missing the shudder that ran through Tigerstar's massive frame, "Surely the rubbish we eat isn't well enough for the leader of a forest Clan!"

Tigerstar relaxed, and Aurora narrowed her eyes at Boulder. "You two sleep, then," she meowed. "We'll hold guard."

Boulder and Tigerstar made themselves as comfortable as possible in the grubby alley, while Sasha and Aurora stood near the mouth of the alley, looking around. Once she was sure the big tabby wasn't listening, Sasha asked her friend, "What do you think of Tigerstar?"

"What do you mean, what do I think of him? He seems like Scourge to me, only a lot bigger." Aurora's orange eyes widened. "No, Sasha, you aren't thinking...what about Caesar?"

"What about him?" demanded Sasha. "I'm sick of him. All he's interested in is showing off his battle scars."

"And what makes you think that the forest rat will be any different?" asked Aurora.

"Did you hear him talk? He's got plans, Aurora. Great ones. I'm sure of it. And look at him. He's huge, and he's a leader! What more could a she-cat want?"

"Maybe a cat that they've known more than a heartbeat! Maybe he has a mate already!"

Sasha's eyes narrowed. "Well, even if he does," she meowed, "He'll soon forget her once he meets me."

Aurora shook her head, and she crept closer to where Tigerstar slept, far away from Boulder. Sasha followed, and she looked down at the massive tabby, staring at his rippling muscles and old scars. What had he done in his lifetime? What had he yet to do?

Tigerstar stirred in his sleep, a vicious growl rising from his throat. "Fireheart," he grumbled unconsciously. "Fireheart, I'm going to rip you into crowfood, unless the dogs beat me to it!"

"Who's Fireheart?" asked Aurora curiously.

"I don't know," admitted Sasha. "But whoever he is, he must have done something really bad..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3 is up! Thanks to all that reviewed. Hope you like the new chapter!**

The next morning all four cats were awakened by Rex and Silver, who came tearing into the alley in the middle of a fight. As they ricocheted off the trash cans Aurora and Tigerstar leaped to one side, while Boulder jumped onto a dumpster on the other. Seeing her chance, Sasha followed him. All of the spies would be caught up in the fight. She could ask Boulder how he escaped!

"What are they fighting about?" asked Boulder curiously, his eyes on Rex and Silver.

"I'm not sure. Some queen, probably. Or maybe over a piece of rubbish they found this morning. You never know."

Boulder shrugged, the tip of his tail flipping back and forth. Sasha took a breath. "So, Boulder, how'd you get out of here?"

His head snapped back towards her and his gaze grew thoughtful. "Why? Are you trying to find a way out too?"

"Just asking," Sasha meowed guardedly.

He scraped his claws as if he did not quite believe her, but he spoke. "Well, I was one of the spies, you know, so no one had a problem with me sneaking around at night. I waited for a really foggy and cloudy evening, so it would be hard for them to scent me, even harder to see me. I went to the main alley, where there's bound to be a rat or two. Once I heard one, I hit the trash can it was hiding behind. It went running out, and I went after it. Only I never came back with it."

Sasha twitched her ears, wondering. True, Scourge would probably be watching for some sort of escape like that again. Would she have a chance if she copied Boulder's move? She glanced back at Tigerstar. "Can you take me with you?" she burst out, before she could stop herself. "You and Tigerstar, I mean?"

Boulder's fur bristled. "I would do it, you know," he meowed falteringly, "But Tigerstar...I don't know. I don't think you could trust him. He would hand you over to Scourge if it was convienent for him."

Sasha glared at him, not believing it. "But will you?" she asked again.

Boulder stared at her, and she carefully turned her blue eyes warm and soft and pleading, waiting for him to melt under them. He finally mewed, "Okay. I'll ask Tigerstar."

Aurora, sick of watching Rex and Silver rip each other bald, leaped down in between them. "All right!" she yowled. "Are you two done yet?"

Being held back by Aurora, the two tomcats began to spit insults at each other. Meanwhile, Boulder spoke quietly to Tigerstar, his tail flicking back at Sasha all the while. She sat back, waiting, her fur bristling with anxiousness but her eyes trained on Tigerstar. She was certain that he would agree.

"Where's Scourge?" It was Fitz. Sasha turned to see the tom, his brown-and-white fur spattered with forest mud, Rodney just behind. They both looked quite pleased with themselves.

"So, what did you find?" Scourge's cold voice broke off Rex and Silver's fight. They crouched side by side, waiting for their leader to appear. Their collars, studded with dog's teeth, flashed in the morning light. Scourge's claws gleamed in the same way as he appeared out of the shadows. Sasha gritted her own teeth. Scourge's dog-teeth-enforced claws always sickened her.

"Go on," he urged Fitz and Rodney. They stepped forward, and Boulder and Tigerstar turned back around. Sasha's felt the dark tabby's stare pass over her, and she lifted her head high. She wondered what Fitz and Rodney would say.

They launched into a description of the forest, including trees, marshes, uplands, a river, and bountiful prey. Their eyes shone as they described all they had caught. "Not a piece of Twoleg rubbish in sight!" meowed Rodney excitedly. He turned to Tigerstar. "His offer is good, Scourge," he meowed earnestly. "We should take it."

"And the forest cats?" growled Scourge. "Will they be easily beaten?"

"They are lean and strong from the wild," Fitz admitted. "But it's clear that the cold winds weaken them."

"Is the smell of dog in the territory? Anywhere?" It was Tigerstar that asked the question, and Rodney looked at him in surprise. "No," he answered. "Well, a bit, in one place, but it's filled with snakes. There aren't any cats there."

**(A/N: This takes place after Tigerstar put the dogs in ThunderClan, but before they attack the camp)**

An unreadable expression crossed Tigerstar's face. "I need to return to the forest soon, Scourge," he informed the black cat.

Scourge's eyes flashed. "Fine, then, Tigerstar," he meowed. "I will think on this. It sounds as if your offer is genuine. But is it worth it?" He broke off into a low growl. "I will be in your territory myself in four suns time. Then you will have your answer."

"Good." Tigerstar seemed pleased. "I will leave, then."

He turned to the end of the alley, Boulder at his shoulder. As he passed, he brushed Sasha, and she didn't miss his hissed whisper. "Be in this alley at sunset."


	4. Chapter 4

**You know, I kind of totally forgot about this fic. I've had the first bit of this chapter written for who knows how long, but then I got sucked into other stuff and just never came back to it. But I get the occasional review telling me to update even now, so I decided to actually do something for once. And now that I've gotten into it again, I'll try to finish.**

**Enjoy!**

Sasha padded over the alley as the sun fell in the sky. She was early, she knew, but she couldn't help it. She hadn't told anyone where she was going, not even Aurora. She thought it was best that way. Now even if Scourge's posse questioned her friend once Sasha was gone, they wouldn't get anything out of her.

Her paws prickled and her stomach twisted in anticipation as night approached. She heard the tapping of claws in a nearby alley and flattened herself against the grimy wall, only to roll her eyes in annoyance as a cream-colored tom padded into her alley, his amber eyes searching. "Sasha."

"Get out of here, Caeser!" Sasha snapped.

He recoiled, and the fur on his huge form began to bristle. "What's wrong with you today? Does Scourge have you spying?"

"I-" Sasha began, and then stopped, liking that excuse. "Yes," she meowed. "Spying. That's it."

"On what? Those forest cats? But I thought they left."

"Well, he just wants to make sure that they have," Sasha mewed, perfectly nonchalant, and then added, "Have you seen them around?"

"No," he meowed, shaking his head. "Toby and Sylvia tracked them when they left. I heard that they got off the road trail into the grass around sunhigh."

Sasha's tail twitched. They could have doubled all the way back here in that time. It was possible. But she'd never know if Caeser didn't get out of here!

"Why don't you go pick on some kittens or something?" she meowed in exasperation. "Leave me to what I'm doing. Unless you want Scourge to catch us and rip both our ears off."

Caeser backed up. Despite how tough he attacked, he too was afraid of Scourge. Just like all the others. It infuriated Sasha, how so many of them- toms and she-cats alike- didn't have dreams of escape. Even Aurora seemed satisfied with what little she had. Was Sasha the only one?

She watched irritably as Caeser plodded off. He was so gullible. Like Bone, the only thing he had no trouble thinking about was unsheathing his claws. Sasha comforted herself with thinking that she'd soon leave him behind. Her mind landed on Tigerstar again. Tigerstar. She doubted he had trouble baring his claws, but she had a feeling that he thought, too. The forest Clan leader. What was he really like?

_What's it like, in a Clan? _she wondered. She thought it must be odd, living in a forest with leaves and flowers and fresh mice all around. Garbage was at least dependable to find...and she would be happy living without petals and moss in her fur all the time. Her paws itched as she thought of what it would be like to have grass beneath them, instead of the constant concrete that had toughened her pads.

Sasha shook her head and concentrated on her plan. She had decided that she would pretend to be escorting Tigerstar and Boulder back to the forest. Once they had cleared Scourge's land they would have to make a break for it. Her conversation with Caeser had been loud enough to convince any spy in the area that she was just following Scourge's orders, so they would have time.

Her paws prickled as she heard the sound of approaching pawsteps. Boulder and Tigerstar came up the alley, Boulder looking acutely nervous, Tigerstar almost expressionless. Quickly Sasha rose to her paws, claws unsheathed. She arranged her face so that she looked angry. "Hey! You're not supposed to be here!"

Boulder went through shock, fear, anger, and then understanding in about a heartbeat's time. He nodded and his tail whipped back against Tigerstar's chest, signaling for him to be silent. . Sasha noted that this seemed to annoy the much bigger forest cat.

"We just came back to speak with Scourge again," mewed Boulder, keeping up the charade.

"Tough. He doesn't want to talk to you," Sasha spat. "Come with me. I'll take you to BloodClan's limits."

"Don't think you can force us to do anything," Tigerstar growled.

Sasha let out a _mrrow _of laughter and looked over her shoulder, waiting until Tigerstar and Boulder followed her gaze. As they did so, several pairs of icy BloodClan eyes opened in the alley shadows. Unsheathed claws and reinforcing dogs' teeth scratched the pavement. The sound echoed, and even Sasha could not surpress a shiver as she meowed, "Do you really believe that?"

&&&

It was very odd to be simply walking out of the place she'd dreamed of leaving for moons. Sasha, in front of Boulder and Tigerstar, was having difficulty keeping a steady pace. Her paws tugged at her to run, to flee the Twolegplace and not look back. But that would surely alert Scourge's spies. She had to keep calm until the time was right.

"How do you forest cats ever get by?" she called to them behind her, carefully inflicting just the right mocking edge to her voice. "Where do you sleep without any shelter?"

"We have dens," Boulder meowed. His tone was eager as he spoke of his forest life, and Sasha realized how much he loved it, especially compared to the BloodClan territory he had left behind. "ShadowClan is sheltered by gorse and heather that keeps out wind and rain. Our enemies, too."

"That must be nice," meowed Sasha blandly. She tried to piece it together in her head.

Tigerstar took a few leaps forward until he was beside her. "In the Clan, we look out for each other." His deep, rumbling voice was like a challenge to look into his eyes, and Sasha did. "The queens take care of their kits, and we hunt for and protect the queens. The warriors train the apprentices and share duties guarding and feeding the rest of the Clan. And the leader--" and here he drew himself proudly up-- "he makes the decisions for the Clan, so that they may stay strong."

"And what if some cat doesn't like those decisions?" Sasha asked, still looking into his eyes. They were a dark scorching amber, the power and intelligence in their depths nearly taking her breath away.

He let out a rumble that wasn't really a purr and held up a paw with claws longer than any others she'd seen before. "Then you show that cat the error of their ways."

Sasha lashed her tail. "You don't seem like the kind of weak-willed cat who would risk his own life to save a rogue like me."

Before Tigerstar could reply, Boulder made an uncomfortable noise from behind them. Sasha whipped around to look at him. "What is it?"

She saw the regret in his eyes and her belly twisted-- what was it? What about this plan hadn't they told her? She could feel the golden fur rising on her neck, her claws sinking into the soil beneath her. "What is it?" she repeated, trying to keep her voice steady. "What haven't you told me?"

"Nothing." Boulder jerked his head up, avoiding her eyes. "It's nothing."

Sasha snorted. She knew he was lying, though she couldn't see how she would be able to get him to confess what about. Her eyes fell back on Tigerstar. Unlike Boulder, the massive tabby met her gaze. His long tail twisted in the air behind him, and the muscles were tense in his pelt. Almost like she was a juicy piece of fresh-kill, Sasha thought, and he was tiring of stalking her. All there was left to do was to wait for the moment when he could rip her throat out.

"_Sasha!_"

Sasha bolted upright from where she had been crouched in the undergrowth and, as she did so, the rabbit she had been watching lifted its head and sprang away. She let out a long, low hiss. "Boulder! Do you see what you did?"

"Nevermind that." The skinny gray cat leaped out of the bushes. His eyes were huge in his head, his fur standing on end. "Sasha, you've got to get out of here."

"What are you talking about? I already am, or have you forgotten that you were smuggling me out of BloodClan?" She, Boulder, and Tigerstar had paused from their journey back to the Clans to hunt, right along a road that Tigerstar called the Thunderpath.

"No, I don't mean that." Boulder took in a shaky breath. "You have to get away from Tigerstar and me. You can't cross the Thunderpath with us."

"Why not?"

"He...Tigerstar.." Boulder faltered, shuffling his paws, and Sasha's eyes narrowed. "Tell me, Boulder."

"The only reason...he had a plan..." His pale gaze was guilty, full of sorrow, and then Sasha realized, remembering the way Tigerstar had looked at her, the way such an ambitious cat had easily let him into her plans.

"He's planning on giving me back to Scourge."

Boulder lowered his head; nodded. "He thought it would make Scourge more willing to help him on his plans. I tried to explain to him that Scourge doesn't work that way, that it wouldn't make much of a difference what he did, Scourge still wouldn't trust him. But then he said he wouldn't let you come at all...I thought you deserved a chance."

Sasha's lip curled. She couldn't really be surprised; her escape had been too easy. Tigerstar had been all too warm towards her...she should have run from him as soon as they were outside of BloodClan borders.

"Are they following us now?" she demanded. "Scourge?"

"No. He has cats coming to survey the territory in a few days; I think they were planning on taking you back then." A shiver ran the length of Boulder's spine. "Sasha, I couldn't let them take you back...I know what they would have done...if it had been me..."

The queen's paws prickled as she thought of that. "They won't find me," she promised. "I'll run now."

"Good." Boulder looked up again. "But don't stay in Clan territory. Tigerstar has plans, Sasha...and if they work out, BloodClan will soon be sharing part of the forest with the wild cats. For a while, anyway. Then he plans to chase them back out."

Sasha's eyes widened. "Who dropped him on his head when he was a kit? How could he ever think he could beat Scourge?"

Though her words were incredulous, her tone was frankly admiring. _She _could believe it, could see it deep in her mind: Tigerstar, the first cat to ever conquer Scourge, standing tall beside his dead body. The image made her heart speed up and a tiny flame ignite in her belly.

"Sasha?" Boulder tipped his head sideways as he looked at her; she realized that he must have said something that she'd missed. "Sorry. What?"

"Aren't you going to leave?" Boulder danced uneasily on his front paws.

"Oh. Yes. Of course." Sasha cleared her throat, and without further ado turned and plunged into the undergrowth. She pelted in a zigzag pattern, deliberately hitting on puddles from the recent rain, wanting to confuse her scent. It occured to her that she could have thanked Boulder, but then dismissed the thought. It was too late for that.

She ran on for a long time, until the sun had fallen in the sky and the moon was brightening. Only then did she pause, falling to the ground in exhaustion and yet keeping her ears pricked behind her, listening for the mismatched pawsteps of a skinny gray tomcat and a huge tabby. She didn't hear them, just as she hadn't heard them the entire time she'd been running. Sasha wondered if Boulder had deliberately Tigerstar in the wrong direction, or if the Clan leader just hadn't tried all that hard to find her. For some reason this made her lip curl.

_Tigerstar, _she thought, resting her head on her aching and muddy paws. When she closed her eyes an image of the forest cat came to her mind. She felt the flame in her belly burn again, and in that moment she knew that she had not seen the last of him. She would make sure she hadn't.

**Yeah, a lot happened at once...but I felt the need to kick-start it. :)**


End file.
